As part of the City of Vaughan’s commitment to advancing a culture of excellence in governance, a mandatory Lobbyist Registry was introduced in January 2018. It tracks communication between public officials, people, organizations or businesses that have the intention to affect changes to legislation, regulations, programs and more.

Administered by Lobbyist Registrar Suzanne Craig, the Lobbyist Registry ensures that people who want to offer their perspective and/or influence Members of Council and staff detail who is being spoken to, on whose behalf and what is being discussed. It is open to the public to allow people to access information on who is meeting with decision-makers.

Out of 444 municipalities in Ontario, the City of Vaughan is one of 38 to have an Integrity Commissioner, one of 19 to have an Internal Auditor, one of eight to have an anonymous reporting system and one of six to voluntarily implement a Lobbyist Registry.

Engineers, planners, consultants, public and private-sector representatives are invited to an information session about the new Lobbyist Registry and why it matters.Stakeholders can attend on the following dates and times in the Multi-Purpose Room at Vaughan City Hall:

March 7 – 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. (Stakeholder Session)

April 24 – 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (Public Information Session)

May 31 – 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (Public Information Session)

QUOTE

“The City of Vaughan continues to strengthen its reputation as a national leader championing openness, accountability and transparency in government. Our ongoing drive and determination to advance the integrity of city-building is part of Vaughan’s unwavering commitment to delivering high quality public services. From the Office of the Integrity Commissioner, to the Office of the Internal Auditor, to our Anonymous Reporting System, and now our Lobbyist Registry, Vaughan continues to go above and beyond in its efforts to deliver a quality of government service for taxpayers that is second to none. The foundation of a great city is built on excellence in governance and we are proud of our commitment to creating a culture of trust.”

-Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua

QUICK FACTS

Lobbying activities can be registered both pre- and post-activity.

Lobbyist Registries do not affect citizens and residents accessing government services or speaking out on behalf of their communities.

Everyday communication with the City of Vaughan as a resident or citizen does not count as lobbying.

The City actively encourages residents to continue to engage with their local government, to speak out on the issues that matter to them and to get involved in their communities.